Decorative device for use as a decorative inlay in surface

ABSTRACT

A decorative device is disclosed which is comprised of an extruded conduit having at least one inner bore adapted to receive decorative material. The decorative device may be placed in a groove or the like to form a decorative inlay. The bore may be of any suitable shape, and is adapted to receive braided material, twisted fiber, metallic cords, ribbons or other such materials of any selected colors or color combinations. The conduit may be transparent or translucent and is of a suitable damage-resistant material to permit its use on tables, bars, and the like, on musical instruments, and in other applications where inlays may be desired. Other than as part of a decorative inlay, the decorative device is applicable, for example, as an ornamental shade pull and the like.

United States Patent 72] Inventor Rudolph Dopera 18906 Normandie Ave., Gardena, Calif. 90247 [21] Appl. No. 3,107 [22] Filed Jan. 15, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 21, 1971 Continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 776,918, Nov.. 19, 1968, now abandoned. This application Jan. 15, 1970, Ser. No. 3,107

[54] DECORATIVE DEVICE FOR USE AS A DECORATIVE INLAY IN SURFACE 10 Claims, 15 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 161/5, 156/293,161/18,161/175 [51] Int. Cl B44t l/04, B44f 7/00 [50] Field otSearch 161/5,18, 43,7,44, 175,409, 3; 156/298, 293-294 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,377,042 5/1945 Rosenthal 161/175 Primary Examiner- Philip Dier Allorney-jones and Lockwood ABSTRACT: A decorative device is disclosed which is comprised of an extruded conduit having at least one inner bore adapted to receive decorative material. The decorative device may be placed in a groove or the like to form a decorative inlay. The bore may be of any suitable shape, and is adapted to receive braided material, twisted fiber, metallic cords, ribbons or other such materials of any selected colors or color combinations. The conduit may be transparent or translucent and is of a suitable damage-resistant material to permit its use on tables, bars, and the like, on musical instruments, and in other applications where inlays may be desired. Other than as part of a decorative inlay, the decorative device is applicable, for example, as an ornamental shade pull and the like.

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. sum 3 OF 3 52 56 58 4&1ilik F/Gl/ //v VE/VTOR RUDOL PH DOPEFPA ma 8) TORNEYS DECORATIVE DEVICE FOR USE AS A DECORATIVE INLAY IN SURFACE RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 776,919, filed Nov. 19, 1968 entitled Decorative Trim," and now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates, in general, to decorative inlays for surfaces, and more particularly to an extruded transparent or translucent inlay which is inexpensive to make and which may provide a great variety of decorative effects.

Decorative inlay strips are, of course, well known in the woodworking art, and have been used in a great variety of ways to produce decorative effects on wood products. However, the production of wood inlays is a difficult and expensive task, expensive because of the time required to form the wood for the inlays and because quantities of various woods 'must be kept in supply if different color effects are to be obtained. Further, particularly where the inlay is to follow a curved path, the proper shaping of the wood used for the inlay is time consuming and tedious, and preparation of a surface and actual making of the inlay requires considerable skill and craftsmanship. Thus, an inlay becomes very expensive to produce.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the difflculties of the prior art by providing an inlay which permits endless variations in decorative effect not only for wood products, but for any flat or relatively flat surface, and for any article which can include a visible substantially elongated hollow member. Wide variations in both color and design of the inlay are possible at a minimal expense. In accordance with the present invention, an extruded plastic or glass tube, for example, having a central bore or a plurality of suitably disposed bores is provided, the bore or bores being adapted to receive fibers, cords ribbons, filaments or other strands of any desired configuration, material, color or design. The conduit may comprise any suitable cross section, such as, for example, rectangular, circular, triangular, oval, hexagonal, or otherwise, as desired. Similarly, the bore or bores may be round, oval, rectangular, or otherwise shaped. Furthermore, when a given conduit is provided with a plurality of spaced bores, the bores may comprise the same or different configurations, as desired. The conduit is preferably adapted to fit into a groove in the surface to be decorated, with one side of the conduit being flush with the surface. However, as will be discussed more fully hereinbelow, the conduit has numerous other applications.

For example, the conduit may be adapted to fit into a bore in a second extruded member, possibly of a different index of refraction, design, color, etc., whereafter the combination of the second extruded member and the conduit is used as a decorative device. In addition, by making the conduit of a relatively flexible material, the decorative device can be flexed to fit any desired shape. The conduit generally will be transparent, although the decorative effect can be changed by using a translucent material. If desired, the internal bore of bores may be left accessible even after the inlay is in place or after the conduit is otherwise decoratively disposed so that the material located in the bore or bores can be changed for variation in the decorative effects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features which are characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, but the various objects and features of the invention will be understood more clearly and fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of a portion of a decorative device made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the decorative device of FIG. I in use as an inlay strip;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is illustrative of one possible use of the decorative device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is illustrative of the use of an embodiment of the invention to decorate a conventional food service tray;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 77 of FIG. 6, with portions removed, illustrating the configuration of the decorative device of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views of other embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view, with portions removed, illustrating the decorative device of FIG. 3 disposed in the bore of a second larger conduit;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention, illustrating three discrete twisted filaments disposed in a single bore in a conduit;

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view illustrating the use of one embodiment of the invention to impart a decorative spiral design to the exterior of an ornamental post;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are front elevational views illustrating the use of the present invention as a decorative device for a luggage handle and as a shade pull, respectively; and

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of a fork embodying certain principles of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a conduit or tubular member 10 having a central bore 12 which is adapted to receive a strand, filament, cord or other similar material 14. The tube or conduit 10 may be comprised of glass or, preferably, of a plastic or polymeric material. In this regard, any suitable polymeric material such as polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, polypropolene, ethylbutyrate, or the like may be employed. Tube or conduit I0 may be transparent or translucent and preferably will be rigid for some uses and flexible for other uses. The conduit 10 is rectangular in cross section, being provided with four flat outer sides, or faces, so that it can be cemented or glued into a groove formed in the surface on which the inlay is to be placed. The groove will normally be of sufficient width and depth to receive the conduit whereby one surface of the conduit will be flush with the surface in which the groove is formed. As illustrated in FIG. 2, conduit 10 is shown forming an inlay pattern in the surface of a wooden table top 16, with the upper face 18 of the conduit being flush with the upper surface 20 of the table. The conduit 10 located in groove 22 formed in table top 16 may be held in place by any conventional means, such as, for example, organic glues, including animal glue, polyvinyl acetates, epoxy glues, or the like. It is preferred that the glue used also be transparent or translucent.

Although FIG. 2 illustrates an inlay in a surface such as a wooden table top, it will be apparent that such inlays may be placed in any surface where decorative effects are desired, and that the present invention, therefore, is not limited to use in wooden surfaces such as table tops or bar tops. The inlay, or a plurality of such inlays, may be used in conjunction with plastic or other surfaces in which a groove can be formed to receive the conduit, as well as in wood products. Further, although the conduit 10 is illustrated as having a single bore 12 and a square cross section in FIGS. 2 and 3, FIGS. 4, 711 illustrate various other forms of conduits which may be found more suitable for certain applications. In addition, while the single bore 12 is illustrated in FIG. 2 as being round, it will be appreciated that the bore may also take on other cross section configurations. In this connection, see FIG. 3, wherein the square conduit 24 includes a square bore 26; FIG. 4, wherein the rectangular conduit 28 includes an oblong bore 30; FIG. 7, wherein a triangular conduit 36 includes a round bore 38;

FIG. 9, wherein an oblong conduit 42 includes a triangular bore 44, a round bore 46 and a square 48; and FIG. 11, wherein a generally semicircular conduit 50 includes three discrete twisted cords 52, 54 and 56 disposed in a single generally semicircular bore 58. It will be apparent that the particular application of the conduit will dictate its external shape, while the particular shape of the bore will generally de pend upon the material or materials to be inserted therein for the desired decorative effect.

The conduit bores 12, 26 and 30, 38, 48, 58, etc., are adapted to receive decorative materials of various shapes and colors, the material selected depending upon the decorative effect desired. For example, the material may be twisted strands of silk, rayon, nylon or the like cords, the various strands being of different colors to provide a pleasing effect. Gold or silver fibers may be interwoven in the twisted cord, if desired. Multicolored strands may be braided to form a flat ribbon or strip of material which may be inserted in a bore such as that illustrated in FIGS. 4 and Il, with the strands making up the braid being of any desired colors to provide a decorative pattern. The conduit protects the strand from damage, thus providing a relatively permanent inlay. By changing the degree of translucency and by varying the colors and patterns of the strip or strand of material within a given bore, or bores, a great variety of decorative effects can be obtained for any given inlay. Since the strand of material within a bore may be drawn therein after the conduit is formed, it will be apparent that if access is provided to the ends of the inlay, the strand may be replaced whenever a change in the decoration is desired. This may be accomplished merely by drawing out one strand and replacing it with another.

By providing a separable strand and conduit, not only can the decorative effect be changed, but the inventory cost for maintaining a supply of various decorations is considerably reduced. If the strand were permanently fixed within the concluit, it would be necessary for the user of this inlay strip to maintain supplies of wide variety of strips. However, by per mitting the strand to be placed in the conduit after the conduit is formed, the user need only keep a supply of blank conduits on hand along with a selection of strand materials so that he can make inlays to order as they are required.

FIG. 5 illustrates one use of the decorative device of the present invention, wherein it is mounted in a groove formed along the outer edge, or periphery, of a guitar or other similar musical instrument. In this case, an L-shaped groove is formed along the periphery of the guitar body, and a flexible inlay strip is glued into the groove. Two faces of the decorative strip are thus flush with the top and side surfaces, respectively, of the guitar body. A flexible strip is required to permit the strip to follow the contours of the guitar. The decorative strand may be placed in the conduit before it is glued in place, or, if the ends are left accessible, the strand may be inserted after the inlay strip is in place. If the ends of the inlay strip are not to be left accessible, they may be joined at the abutting ends and glued together however, the ends may be left spaced, as at 32, to provide access to the bore. A suitable cover may be provided to protect the ends of the inlay strip thus left exposed.

In certain circumstances, it may be desirable to provide a decorative device comprising two or more conduits, wherein one or more smaller conduits is fitted into a bore or bores in a larger conduit, and wherein the decorative strip or strand is disposed within a bore in the smaller conduit. In this manner, it is possible to employ large and small conduits which differ in composition and physical properties so that any uniquely desirable decorative properties of each conduit can be captured. One embodiment of a device of this type is shown in FIG. 8. In this figure, an elongated member or large conduit 60 is provided with five predisposed square-shaped bores 62, 64, 66, 68 and 70 in which are inserted smaller square-shaped conduits 72, 74, 76, 78 and 80, respectively. Each of the smaller conduits is provided with a square-shaped bore which contains a strand of decorative material. Another such device is illustrated in FIG. wherein an elongated member having a hexagonal cross section, i.e., a large hexagonal conduit 82, is provided with a square-shaped bore 84 in which there is disposed a square-shaped strand containing conduit 86. As indicated above in connection with embodiments of the invention comprising a single conduit, the strand or stands within the smaller conduits shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 may be separable therefrom. In addition, it will be appreciated that the smaller conduits may be separable from the larger conduits.

Other uses of the decorative devices of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, 12-15. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, for example, a conventional serving tray 34 may be ornamented by cementing a triangular conduit 36 along the periphery of the tray such that the base 88 of the conduit 36 is flush with the surface 90 of the tray 34. It will be appreciated that the conduit 36 will prevent liquids from spilling from the tray 34, as well as providing ornamentation. The triangular conduit 36 is shown as having a circular bore 38 containing a twisted decorative strand 92, however, it is to be understood that the conduit 36 and/or the bore 38 could be formed as illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 8 and 9.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, a decorative device embodying the principles of the present invention could be inserted into a suitably configurated bore 94 in a drawer or luggage handle 96. In this connection, it will be appreciated that by properly selecting the strand material 98, superior strength as well as a pleasing design can be imparted to the handle 96. Still another use for the present invention is shown in FIG. 15, wherein a decorative device, such as that shown in FIG. 2, is employed to ornament a fork. In this embodiment, the decorative device is disposed within a bore or channel in a transparent or translucent fork handle I02 and is maintained in engagement with the tang 104 and handle 102 of the fork by means of threaded metal or plastic rings 106 and 108.

In view of the foregoing embodiments, it will be apparent that the respective conduits not only provide protection for the decorative strands located within the bore or bores thereof, but that they may be used, in and of themselves, as a decoration. Thus, for example, a conduit may be of colored plastic rather than clear translucent or transparent plastic. In addition, the bore or bores within a conduit may be of shapes other than those illustrated in the drawings, the particular shape depending primarily upon the cross-sectional shape of the strand to be placed within the conduit; in some cases, for example, where the strand is so dimensioned as to make it difficult to draw into a conduit, it may be found desirable to extrude the conduit around the strand, so that the strip is formed with the strand in place. Although this alternative is available, it is not preferred, since it requires a special run of the inlay strip. It will further be apparent that, although the present invention is directed to an inlay strip, the present invention is not limited to such a use, but may be used wherever a decorative trim is desired. Thus, a conduit-strand combination 110 may be surface mounted on ornamental post 112, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 12, or may be mounted in a shallow groove so as to extend partially above the surface of the structure on which it is mounted. As illustrated in FIG. 14, a decorative device, preferably comprised of a rigid strand containing conduit 114, may be shaped in the form of a circle and hung from a cord 116 for use as a shade pull.

Thus, there has been provided a novel and useful decorative device which is easy to handle, inexpensive, and which permits a wide selection of decorative effects without requiring large stocks of expensive materials. Although the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be apparent that many variations and modifications of the basic concept can be devised. Therefore, it is desired that the foregoing description be taken as illustrative, and that the scope and extent of the invention be limited only by the following claims.

Iclaim:

l. A decorative device comprising a first substantially elongated unitary integral conduit member having an internal bore, a second substantially elongated unitary integral conduit disposed within the internal bore of said first conduit member, said second conduit member having an internal bore, and elongated substantially continuous strand means disposed within the internal bore of said second conduit member, each of said first and second conduit members being comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of transparent and translucent materials so that said strand means is visible through said first and second conduit members to provide a decorative effect.

2. The decorative device of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second conduit members are comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.

3. The decorative device of claim 1, wherein the external cross section of said second conduit member corresponds to the cross section of the internal bore of said first conduit member, whereby said second conduit member may be drawn into the bore of said first conduit member after said first conduit member is formed.

4. The decorative device of claim 3, wherein the internal bore of said second conduit member corresponds in cross section to the cross-sectional shape of said strand means, said strand means being slidably and selectively removably disposed in the internal bore of said second conduit member.

5. The decorative device of claim 1 wherein said substantially continuous strand means is slidably and selectively removably disposed in said bore of said second conduit member.

6. The decorative device of claim I, wherein said strand means is comprised of a member selected from the group consisting of braided, twisted and ribboned cords and fibers arranged to form a decorative pattern within said second conduit member.

7. A decorative device comprising a substantially elongated unitary integral conduit member having a plurality of spaced, predisposed internal bores extending longitudinally therethrough, and elongated substantially continuous strand means disposed in each of said internal bores, said conduit member being comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of transparent and translucent materials so that the strand means are visible through said conduit member to provide a decorative effect.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said conduit member is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.

9. The decorative device of claim 7 wherein each of said continuous strand means is slidably and selectively removably disposed in its corresponding internal bore.

H]. The decorative device of claim 7, wherein each of said strand means is comprised of a member selected from the group consisting of braided, twisted and ribboned cords and fibers. 

2. The decorative device of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second conduit members are comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.
 3. The decorative device of claim 1, wherein the external cross section of said second conduit member corresponds to the cross section of the internal bore of said first conduit member, whereby said second conduit member may be drawn into the bore of said first conduit member after said first conduit member is formed.
 4. The decorative device of claim 3, wherein the internal bore of said second conduit member corresponds in cross section to the cross-sectional shape of said strand means, said strand means being slidably and selectively removably disposed in the internal bore of said second conduit member.
 5. The decorative device of claim 1 wherein said substantially continuous strand means is slidably and selectively removably disposed in said bore of said second conduit member.
 6. The decorative device of claim 1, wherein said strand means is comprised of a member selected from the group consisting of braided, twisted and ribboned cords and fibers arranged to form a decorative pattern within said second conduit membeR.
 7. A decorative device comprising a substantially elongated unitary integral conduit member having a plurality of spaced, predisposed internal bores extending longitudinally therethrough, and elongated substantially continuous strand means disposed in each of said internal bores, said conduit member being comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of transparent and translucent materials so that the strand means are visible through said conduit member to provide a decorative effect.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein said conduit member is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.
 9. The decorative device of claim 7 wherein each of said continuous strand means is slidably and selectively removably disposed in its corresponding internal bore.
 10. The decorative device of claim 7, wherein each of said strand means is comprised of a member selected from the group consisting of braided, twisted and ribboned cords and fibers. 